Chaeles s



UNrrnn Sterne PATENT rricn.

CHARLES S. PHILIPS, OF BROOKLYN, NEYV YORK.

APPARATUS FOR CURING AND SWEATING TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,329, dated November9, 1880.

Application filed April '23, 1880.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GHARLEs S. PHILIPS,

ofBrooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventeda new and ID1- proved Apparatus for (During and Sweating Tobacco to DarkColors, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a frontsectional elevation taken through the line as a, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish an improved apparatus orsweat-house for curing and sweating tobacco to dark colors withoutdeveloping any unpleasant or empyreumatic odors, which is unavoidablewhen the curing and sweating are done in the ordinary manner.

A is a box or chamber of sufficient size to receive a package or case,B, of tobacco. The chamber A is made with an open bottom and front andwith an inclined roof, so that the water of condensation will flow alongthe under surface of the inclined roof and down the sides and ends ofthe chamber back into the pan. To the inner surface of the sides andends of the chamber A are attached upright cleats O, to prevent the caseB from getting so close to the said sides and ends as to impede the freecirculation of the moist air all around the case B. D is the door, whichfits snugly against the forward edges of the sides and top of thechamber A, and has half-keepers E attached to it to receive thefasteninglevers F. The levers F are hinged to the forward ends ofscrew-rods G, which screw into nuts H attached to the sides and top ofthe chamber A, so that the levers can be readily adjusted to fasten thedoor D closely.

To the door D is attached a thermometer, I, the bulb of which passesthrough or is inserted in a hole in the said door, so that thetemperature of the chamber A can be ascertained at any time.

The case B stands upon a floor or platform, J, which is slotted or madeof slats, so that the moist atmosphere may pass through it freely.

If desired, rollers K may be interposed between the case B and the floorJ, for conven- (No model.)

ience in handling the said case and to allow the moist air to circulatefreely around it.

The lower edges of the door D and of the sides and end of the chamber Arest upon the inclined ends and sides of the hopper L, to the lower sideof which is attached the metallic pan M that receives the water. By thisconstruction the water of condensation that flows down the sides of thechamber A will flow down the inclined sides of the hopper L. The ends ofthe cross-bars that support and connect the slats of the floor orplatform J rest upon the sides of the hopper L, so that the saidplatform will not interfere with the free circulation of the moist air.

The pan M is supplied with water through a pipe, N, from a reservoir ortank, 0, placed upon a stand, P, or other support, to bring it to ahigher level than the pan M, so that the water will flow from it intothe pan M as soon as the valve Q, in the pipe N is opened.

To the handle of the valve Q is pivoted the upper end ofaconnecting-rod, R, the other end of which is pivoted to the end of thelever S. The lever S passes through the frame that supports theapparatus and through the side of the pan M, and is pivoted to the sideof the pan M, and to its other end is attached afloat, T, so that as thewater in the pan M rises to the water-line the rise of the float Tcloses the valve Q and shuts off the water. Asvthe water in the pan Msinks below the water-line the descent of the float T opens the valve Qand admits the water, so that the water in the pan M will be kept at thesame level automatically.

The hopper L rests upon a frame, U, which isextended to the rear, sothat the chamber A can he slid back out of the way when the case B is tobe placed upon or removed from the platform J. To the rear end of thepan M is attached a pipe, V, which projects, and has a cup, W, attachedto its-outer end, so that the attendant can see at a glance how muchwater there may be in the said pan M.

The pan M and the water contained in it may be heated by a gas-stove, anoil-stove, or a furnace placed beneath it, or by a coil of steampipeplaced within it, as may be desired or convenient.

When tobacco is subjected to a moist heat at a high temperature toproduce dark-colored tobacco from light-colored leaves a partialdecomposition takes place and a disagreeable empyreumatic odor is givenoff, which odor can be neutralized or prevented by the application ofammonia to the tobacco during the process of sweating.

In applying this apparatus to practical use the tobacco is wet and ispacked in the case B, which may be the original case in which thetobacco was received, or a case made expressly for use in the chamber A,or any case of suitable size, and the cover of the case is fastened on.The case B is then placed in the chamber A, the door D is closed, wateris admitted into the pan M, and heat is applied to raise the temperatureto the required point. To the water in which the tobacco is wet I addammonia in the proportion of one pound of ammonia to eight or tengallons of water; but the proportional quantity of ammonia must bevaried as the character of the tobacco may require. The wilder andranker the tobacco the more ammonia will be required.

If, upon examining the tobacco at the end of the third or fourth day ofits being operated upon, it is found that the ammonia used in wettingthe tobacco has been exhausted and that it is necessary to continue thesweating,

ammonia is placed in the tank 0, that supplies the pan M with water, andammonia gas will be given off as soon as the water becomes heated, sothat the sweating may be continued for any necessary length of timewithout the diffusion of any unpleasant odors.

The process of maturing tobacco which consists in subjecting the same ina dampened condition and in an inclosing-vessel to a heating-bath atless than 212 Fahrenheit temperature is not claimed herein, but isembraced in another pcndin g application filed by me under date ofAugust 2, 1879.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent In an apparatus for sweating and curing to bacco, thecombination, with the water-pan M, arranged under sweating-chamber A andplat form J, of the hopper L and its supportingframe U, whereby thewater-pan is supported above the floor to form space for an independentheating apparatus, while keeping the platform so low that the case oftobacco can be easily entered and removed.

CHARLES S. PHILIPS.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES P. GRAHAM, O. SEnGwIoK.

